Telecommunication veteran earns scholarship through video competition

By Kim Chaudoin | 615.966.6494 on 6/30/2014

For much of her career Lisa Hagenbuch has been a part of the telecommunication and wireless industry, which she has watched evolve dramatically as technology has advanced through the years. But one additional change Hagenbuch hopes to bring about is to build a networking group for women in the field in Nashville.

Hagenbuch is the winner of the College of Business’ Degree of Difference Full Scholarship Video Competition, through which the producer of the video entry receiving the most votes online receives a full-tuition scholarship to a graduate business program. She was among five finalists vying for the scholarship.

“The stories of our finalists are very compelling,” said Lisa Shacklett, assistant dean of the Lipscomb University College of Business. “Through this endeavor, they discover the reach and impact that one life can have on others. It touches me that these individuals want to improve their skills not merely for self-improvement and advancement but mostly so they can help others. Our program is about degrees of change. It’s not just a catch phrase or tagline. It’s what people see when they look at our program and realize that it's not just about getting an education. It’s about impacting lives.”

Hagenbuch, a resident of Thompson’s Station, Tenn., said she is excited about the potential a graduate business education will have on her career and ability to make a difference in her community.

“I am overwhelmed and very pleased that I have this opportunity to pursue a graduate business degree at Lipscomb,” said Hagenbuch, a native of Scottsville, Ky. “I’ve thought about getting an MBA for years. I just felt that the time was right to go for it.”

A graduate of Western Kentucky University, Hagenbuch moved to Franklin, Tenn., in 1999. Soon after, she took a job with Sprint/Nextel and fell in love with the telecommunication industry. She quickly saw a need for networking and support programs for women in that field.

“I became familiar with an organization called Women in Wireless and learned that they do not have a chapter in the Nashville area,” said Hagenbuch, who today is a property specialist for SBA Communications Corporation, the third-largest owner and operator of wireless communications infrastructure across North, Central and South America. “This is a close-knit industry. I think a women’s group would be very beneficial as more women enter this field. Women in Wireless is a well organized nonprofit that is emerging in cities across the country to help promote and develop female leaders in mobile and digital media. I think starting a chapter here will definitely benefit women in this community.”

Hagenbuch said launching a chapter of Women in Wireless will take “a lot of time, effort and leadership skills that I know I will gain through graduate business studies at Lipscomb. These are also skills that will benefit me in my career as well.”

Lipscomb University is a good fit for continuing her education, Hagenbuch said.

“I just had a good feeling about this,” she said. “The people at Lipscomb have been so nice and helpful. I’m very impressed with the way Lipscomb is growing. I am looking forward to being a part of this community, meeting new people and learning new things.”

Hagenbuch said she is looking forward to taking classes at Spark, Lipscomb University’s location in Franklin’s Cool Springs area, which is located near her home in Williamson County.

Contest finalists used a variety of methods to market their videos and to solicit votes. Shacklett said the competition gave finalists an opportunity to be innovative and use technology that they use in their professions to encourage their colleagues, family and friends to vote for their videos. More than 10,000 votes were cast during the 11-day voting period, which ended at midnight on June 20. Votes came in from across the country and from at least 28 countries including India, Mozambique, France and Japan.

Hagenbuch will begin her studies this fall. As part of the program, Hagenbuch will post a monthly video blog on onedegreeaway.lipscomb.edu about her experience at Lipscomb as well as how her studies are helping her pursue her goal of making a degree of change in the world.